Developing Forum do you keep it open to visitors?

[Saagar]

I am developing the forum and while I am waiting for the custom skin, logos to be ready, I am using default VB skin and creating initial posts, articles etc.

I found that I am getting few visitors a day...so just wondering if I should keep forum open in this phase and let visitors know about the forum idea, threads, articles etc or its better to keep it closed till everything is ready?

currently i have kept it closed

[Kaos]

I think you should keep it open, its always good to try to get people interested as soon as possible, and people understand that changes occur with forums as they are getting created. I wouldn't think its a big deal personally. Why take the chance of missing out of possible members now?

[Zap]

Ditto what Kim said. Your first members will understand that you are growing the forum.

[unr]

My forums still under developement, meanwhile, we're active, and have a community going. :P

Just leave it open, any visitor is still a visitor, right?

[grim]

Definitely keep it open, maybe let visitors know it's still being designed. You may get some bookmarkers, new members, plus the search engines will see it being aged a bit better, indexed, etc, etc IMHO

[Autumn]

Definitely have it open. I have started a few in the last few months and googlebot is usually my first visitor, so the sooner it is seen the better

[Jani]

I am also in favor of keeping your forum OPEN

Initial members will see how you are upgrading your forum and how the forum is growing.